Backflow prevention assemblies, vacuum relief valves, clocks, flow meters, and other fluid-control apparatuses are typically used to control landscape systems in parks, commercial and scholastic campuses, resorts and golf courses, and other landscaped areas. Several problems arise where such apparatuses are used.
Injury is one such problem. Individuals using a landscaped area may inadvertently trip over or run into a fluid-control apparatus, leading to possible injury and potential liability. Because of this, an enclosure is typically placed around the fluid-control apparatus. The enclosure is larger than the apparatus it encloses, and is therefore more visible. In addition, a further increase in visibility is often achieved by painting the enclosure a color having a marked contrast to the surrounding area, e.g., a tan enclosure on a green lawn. Such an increase in visibility reduces the potential for injury and therefore decreases liability.
Many such enclosures are right parallelepipeds, i.e., rectangular boxes. Such enclosures have edges and vertices that pose an injury hazard. The very shape of such an enclosure leads to possible injury and potential liability. These enclosures are especially hazardous when used in parks or other places where children may play, as that play may include climbing upon the enclosures.
Another problem encountered with fluid-control apparatuses is theft. Since the apparatuses are often made of copper and/or brass, they have considerable intrinsic value. Suitable enclosures are used to protect such apparatuses from those who would engage in “urban mining,” i.e., the theft of copper and brass fittings for sale as scrap.
A related problem is vandalism, i.e., the destruction or damage of the apparatuses without overt gain. This problem is especially problematical with timing apparatuses and other delicate apparatuses. Again, suitable enclosures are used to protect such apparatuses.
To provide adequate protection against vandalism and/or theft, the enclosures must be robust. That is, the enclosures must themselves be capable of withstanding an attack. To this end, the enclosures are typically large and made of steel or other suitably strong material.
Many such enclosures, while somewhat robust, nevertheless have undesirable weaknesses. These weaknesses become known to those who engage in theft and/or vandalism. An experienced attacker would therefore concentrate his/her efforts on an enclosure's weaknesses, bypassing its strengths.
One such potential weakness may be the method of attaching the materials of which the enclosure is formed. For example, some enclosures are formed of sheet materials fastened over a frame, typically by welding. Once the sheet material is breached, say by using a crowbar between welds to pry up a corner or edge, the sheet material may be peeled back and removed relatively quickly.
Another such potential weakness may be the material itself. For example, some encloses have surfaces formed of expanded steel. While proof against a casual attack, such expanded steel is not proof against cutters and similar tools.
A third such potential weakness may be the method by which the enclosure is secured. Many such enclosures are secured to a concrete pad. For example, an enclosure secured to a pad by bolts and nuts may be unbolted by application of a suitable wrench if the bolt head or nut is accessible. Those secured by lag bolts and anchors may simply be pried free through the use of a good crowbar. Even cast-in or epoxied-in bolts may be snapped free by use of a cold chisel and hammer.
Locks form another potential weakness. When the lock is exposed, then the shackle and staple are vulnerable to attack by a bolt cutter. In addition, many conventional padlocks may also be smashed open by a heavy hammer, or split open by a cold chisel.
Another potential weakness has to do with the basic construction of the enclosure. Many such enclosures fail a determined attack because they lack adequate bracing or other structural enhancements. For example, an enclosure formed of an expanded metal housing over a frame, but lacking an interior brace to support the expanded metal housing, may fail if a large attacker were to repetitively kick or stomp on the expanded metal housing. Such activity may well cause the housing to collapse inward to the point where the enclosed apparatus is no longer protected.